In electrical circuits, frequent causes of circuit malfunction are fractured solder connections, open foil etch on circuit boards and mechanical malfunction of components. The normal procedure for locating such malfunctions involves manually tapping around with a non-conductive instrument until the fault is localized. Such a procedure, however, is time consuming, tedious and often undefinitive. Furthermore, the low frequency tapping percussions spread beyond the immediate area, usually making it difficult to accurately pinpoint the cause of malfunction.
The present invention is designed to detect kinetically locatable circuit faults rapidly and with definitive accuracy. The present invention comprises a new diagnostic method utilizing a cost efficient device capable of producing concentrated localized applications of user calibrated kinetic energy at audible sonic frequencies. This energy at high frequencies is then discriminately applied to circuit areas such as printed circuit board or components to kinetically reveal mechanical intermittance. The location of intermittance is picked up by monitoring the circuit in a conventional manner for proper function.
The diagnostic locator of the present invention comprises a non-conductive test probe which is applied to circuitry and uses pinpoint kinetic energy at audible sonic frequencies to determine mechanical intermittance. The prior art, over which the invention is distinguishable, is discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,631 to Brown discloses a self-contained continuity checker having a probe connected to an amplifier which completes a circuit to indicating means. This is in contrast to the mechanical test probe of the present invention which applies energy to the area under test for kinetic test purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,653,297 to Mohylowski discloses a testing device having a spring-backed probe which generates a spark as an indicator that a circuit break exists. Also of interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,020,402, 1,970,232 and 3,063,006. None of the foregoing patents disclose the use of a sonically vibrating probe to locate circuit faults.